Leukemia Causes and Risk Factors

by Hezy | August 30, 2011

Leukemia is a type of cancer characterized by an abnormal accumulation of white blood cells in the body. Leukemia usually begins in the bone marrow and spreads to other parts of the body. This disease can affects both children and adults.

Types of Leukemia

In general, leukemia are classified into two main categories: Myelogenous leukemia and Lymphocytic leukemia. The terms myelogenous or lymphocytic indicates the type of cells involved.

Myelogenous leukemia develops from myeloid cells, while lymphocytic leukemia develops from cells called “lymphoblasts” or “lymphocytes” in the bone marrow. Each of the types can be acute (rapidly developing) or chronic (slowly developing). So, there are four major types of leukemia:

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a cancer of the blood in which too many lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, are produced by the bone marrow and other parts of the body.

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia usually affects children aged 3 to 7. It is the most common form of leukemia in children. However, the disease may also occurs in adults, especially those aged 65 and older.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is similar to Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), but it is more common in adults, often occurs during or after middle age; it rarely occurs in children. There is no cure for this disease, but there are many effective treatments. One of the most serious type of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia.

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
Acute myelogenous leukemia, also called granulocytic or myelocytic, is a cancer of the blood in which too many granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, are produced in the bone marrow.

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia is one way a special cancer: in almost every case, the underlying cause of this disease is known. In CML, the two DNA regions that normally are not next to each other are merged, creating an uncommon protein found in the body that can induce stem cells develop into granulocytes.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia mainly affects adults, but a very small number of children may also develop this disease. Chronic myelogenous leukemia is treated with a drug called “Imatinib (Gleevec)”. A type of chronic myelogenous leukemia is chronic monocytic leukemia.

Causes and Risk Factors for Leukemia

The exact causes of leukemia are not yet clearly identified. However, researches suggest that there are some risk factors are linked to leukemia. The risk factors for leukemia include:

Smoking

Having Family history of leukemia

Having chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for other cancers

Diagnosing with blood disorders, such as myelodysplastic syndromes

Suffering from certain genetic diseases, such as Down syndrome

Exposure to high levels of radiation

Exposure to certain chemicals such as benzene, which is found in gasoline and is used by the chemical industry.